CHARACTER QUALITY # 30: Equality

Jacob and his twin brother, Esau, were born to Isaac and Rebekah.   She received the prophecy that twins were fighting in her womb and would continue to fight all their lives, and become two separate nations. When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, the first to come out emerged red and hairy all over, with his heel grasped by the hand of the second to come out, Jacob.   The boys displayed very different natures as they matured. "Esau became a hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a simple man, a dweller in tents" The attitudes of their parents toward them also differ: "Isaac loved Esau but Rebecca loved Jacob"

Sale of the birthright

Esau, returning famished from the fields, begged Jacob to give him some stew. Jacob offered to give Esau a bowl of stew in exchange for his birthright and Esau agreed.

Jacob's deception of Isaac

Much later, Isaac became blind in his old age and decided to bestow the blessing of the firstborn upon Esau. He sent Esau out to the fields to trap and cook a piece of savory game for him, so that he could eat it and bless Esau.  Rebekah overheard this conversation ordered Jacob to bring her two goats from the flock, which she cooked in the way Isaac loved, and had him bring them to his father in place of Esau.  When Jacob protested that his father would recognize the deception and curse him as soon as he felt him, since Esau was hairy and Jacob smooth-skinned, Rebekah dressed him in Esau's garments and laid goatskins on his arms and neck to simulate hairy skin.

After receiving the blessing, Jacob had scarcely left the room when Esau returned from the hunt to prepare his game and receive the blessing. The realization that he has been deceived shocked Isaac.  Esau was filled with hatred toward Jacob for taking away both his birthright and his blessing. He vowed to himself to kill Jacob as soon as Isaac died.

          Later, Jacob approached uncle Laban for permission to marry Rachel. Laban agreed that his daughter might marry Jacob but stipulated that, as a bride price, Jacob must contract to work for him for seven years.  After 7 years and some drinking before the wedding, a veiled Leah had pretended to be her sister Rachel. Jacob worked for another 7 years to marry his love, Rachel.  Jacob never forgave Leah for her part in the deception. She was the 'unloved' wife. 

It seems that Rachel was still angry at her father for what he had done to her. Before they set out, she took the small figurines that represented the protective deities of her father's family, telling no-one what she was doing.

Later Jacob gave the blessing to Joseph’s sons exalting the younger over the older.  Jacob’s family all the way through Joseph’s family were all messed up.  We are all messed up.  Every family has odd things that happen.  Is it that way in God’s family?  Yes and no.  No – in God’s family we are all equal and full sons and daughters.  Yes – I believe we will be shocked at who we see and who we don’t see in heaven.  People who said they believe in Jesus but didn’t, and those who never said a word publically but trusted completely.  On this Mother’s Day we should all be like the best mother’s who love their children equally – beyond measurement and to know that we are loved by God in this same way.

Did your mother love you and your siblings equally?  How does God treat us equally?  What does it mean for us to treat each other equally?

From the Heart,
Pastor Jeff